"My Hopes for the 2018 Yankees"

I first became a New York Yankees' fan 40 years ago, in 1978. At that time, the team was so white that one of the few black players had the last name "White" (ROY White)!  That had nothing to do with "adopting" them as "my" team, however.  I became a Yankee fan because of the stunning way they overtook the first-place Boston Red Sox in the second half of the season.  I could care less about "what" the players were, just that they were an inspiring, tough and gritty bunch who pulled together when it counted and pulled off perhaps the greatest comeback in baseball history.

My Yankees THIS season, 40 years later, are a very diverse group.  On their current 25 man roster there are players from the U.S., Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Japan and Venezuela.  There is a very white guy (newly acquired Zach Britton) who has a Dominican mom and a very black guy (Didi Gregorious) who was born in the Netherlands.

(Lol) and whereas the '78 Yanks had a black guy named "White," the 2018 group has two white pitchers, one with the last name of "Gray" and one with the last name of "Green."

There is simply no other team that is as diverse as these current Yanks! Why, to underscore this even further, though the 2018 squad has three with the first name of "Aaron" (a first in baseball history), even THEY are a diverse lot!  Aaron BOONE (white) is the manager, Aaron HICKS (black) is an outfielder and so is Aaron JUDGE (who is mixed race...one parent was white, one was black!)

Superficalities aside, what the 2018 Yanks DO have in common with the '78 group is that they, too, are chasing the seemingly unbeatable Boston Red Sox in the second half of the season.

Mind you, ALL baseball teams celebrate in a sea of togetherness when they win, but it is special to see THIS group do it because they are so incredibly diverse.

It inspires me to see men of all different colors and backgrounds working, and celebrating, together as one. And I'm hoping that the 2018 Yanks will overtake the 2018 Red Sox, and inspire ALL of us with the sight of those who come together despite many external differences.